Holding device



June 13, 1967 .J. c. HENRY 3,325,134

HOLDING DEVICE Filed Jan. l7, 1966 JOHN C. HENRY INVENTOR E'ZLLaM ATTORNEY FIG. 2

3,325,134 HOLDING DEVICE John C. Henry, RD. 1, Port Matilda, Pa. 16870 Filed Jan. 17, 1966, Ser. No. 523,011 2 Claims. (Cl. 248-316) This invention relates to clamping devices and in particular to clamping devices adapted to retain mats, or the like.

In the field of athletics it is frequently desirable to store wrestling mats, or other similar items of athletic equipment in a vertical position. Such wrestling mats, or other like items, often have holes with grommets along the edge thereof whereby the grommets can be inserted in corresponding hooks along a wall. These grommets are sometimes unsatisfactory in that they tear out under the concentrated and continuous load imposed at the hanging point. Furthermore it was relatively difficult to lift a heavy wrestling or tumbling mat so as to hook on a hole with grommets.

It is therefore an object of this invention to propose a hanger which will suspend a mat over the entire contact area and require no special accommodation in the mat itself.

It is another object of this invention to provide a hanger to store or display items on a vertical wall whereby the weight of the suspended object furnishes the force for its clamping action.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a mat holding device to which a mat may be easily attached or removed.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a clamping device which will suspend objects by the bearing against an inclined plane.

These and other objects of this invention will be set forth in the following specification and claims in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of this invention adapted to be secured to a vertical surface, showing a mat in its clamped position;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a modification of FIGURE 1 adapted to be attached to a ceiling surface or supported from the floor, showing a mat in clamped position;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a modification of this invention adapted to be attached to a vertical surface in which a hinged bar is shown clamping a mat in po sition;

FIGURE 4 is a side view taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the rod shown in FIGURES 3 and 4.

With reference to the drawings, and in particular to FIGURE 1, and 12 represent two triangularly shaped identical bar support brackets secured to wall 14 some distance apart, in substantially the same horizontal plane. Brackets 10 and 12 may be fabricated of material such as steel, aluminum, wood, or other material with enough rigidity to withstand the operating pressure. Brackets 10 and 12 are made by bending flat stock so as to form a triangular shape, having a slot 18 at an upwardly exposed acute angle to the wall 14. A bar 20 passes through the slot.18 of brackets 10 and 12 and is adapted to slide within said slot 18 from a position nearly in contact with wall 14 to the outer extremity of the slot 18. The slot 18 may be inclined to the wall 14 by an acute angle, however, angles up to have been found most satisfactory. Hence an angle of about 25 is generally used.

In operation, the bar 20 is slid within slot 18 to a position farthest from wall 14, and a mat 22 inserted between the bar 18 and the Wall 14. The bar 20 is then slid within slot 18 until it contacts the mat 22. The mat 22 is then United States Patent 0 3,325,134 Patented June 13, 1967 released and its weight causes the bar 20 to bear against it and bracket 18, causing the mat 22 to be securely clamped. The principle involved is a transfer of vectors by utilizing a stationary inclined plane formed by the outer surface of slot 18. The weight of the mat at its contact point with the bar 20 tends to gyrate the bar 20 imposing on the brackets 10 and .12 a force vector perpendicular to and in the direction of the wall 14. This produces an equal and opposite resultant force thus clamping the mat 22 in position. As may be seen the size of the mat 22 which may be supported by this invention is limited only by the distance which brackets 10 and 12 are apart and by the rigidity and length of the bar 20. To release the mat 22, it is only necessary to pull the bar 20 to its outermost position within the slot 18 and thus allows the mat 22 to fall free.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, there is illustrated a modification of this invention adapted to be attached to ceilings or supported on the floor. This modification is essentially the device of FIGURE 1 utilizing four bar support brackets back to back, and two bars. Numbers 24 and 26 indicate two triangulary shaped double bar support brackets having a common vertical center section 28. The sides 30 of the brackets 24 and 26 extend outwardly at an acute angle from center section 28. Like the embodiment of FIGURE 1, angles of up to about 25 have been found to be most satisfactory. Holes 32 in the upper portions of brackets 24 and 26 may accommodate bolts (not shown) for fastening to a ceiling or other horizontal surface. Alternatively the center section 28 may extend and be attached to the floor or other horizontal surface and thus support the double bar support brackets 24 and 26. Bars 34 and 36 are inserted one on either side of the center section 28 so as to extend through the central portion of the both double bar support brackets 24 and 26. Thus the bars 34 and 36 are free to move within the confines of double bar support brackets 24 and 26.

In operation the bars 34 and 36 are moved apart to the limit of side pieces 30, and a mat 38 horizontally lifted between them. The bars 34 and 36 are then released allowing them to contact each side of the mat 38 and to bear against the side piece 30. The mat 38 is then released and its weight causes the bars 34 and 36 to exert a clamping effect upon it, thus securing it in position much in the same manner as the embodiment described in FIGURE 1. To release the mat 38 it is merely necessary to separate the bars 34 and 36 until the mat 38 falls free.

Referring now to FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 there is shown yet another embodiment of this invention having wall extension brackets 40 and 42 secured to wall 14 by means of bolts 44. Brackets 40 and 42 extend outwardly from the wall 14 through outward and downward curving cross member 46 thus forming a bight with the wall 14 and brackets 40 and 42. A U-shaped rod 48 is pivotally connected to the end portion of the downwardly extending curved end 56, of brackets 40 and 42, by means of hinge 50 which is integrally attached to fiat plate 58 at the end of curved end 56 brackets 40 and 42. A screw 49 extends into the end portion of rod 48 preventing the rod from slipping out of hinge 50. The other end portion of rod 48 extends Within the interior of a hollow bar 52, supporting it horizontally between brackets 40 and 42. Rod 48 fits very loosely within hollow bar 52 and serves to support it. Thus the bar 52 may swing inwardly toward wall 14 while pivoting rod 48 about hinge 50. The dimension of hollow bar 52 and rod 48 are such that the bar 52 may roll in contact with the .inner surface of the cross member 46 until restrained by bar 48.

In operation, the bar 52 is swung upon hinge 50 inwardly and upwardly toward wall 14 until it contacts the lower portion of cross member 46. The end portion of a mat 54 is then inserted in the bight portion of the bracket 42 and the bar 52 is then released so that it presses the mat 54 against the wall 14. The mat 54 is then released and its weight forces the bar 52 to exert a clamping pressure against it between wall 14 and the inner surface of cross member 46, thus securing the mat 54 in position. To release the mat 54, it is necessary only to lift the bar 52 allowing it to pivot on hinge 50 until the mat falls free. As may be seen, this embodiment of the invention may accommodate mats of any desired length by merely having a series of brackets 42 horizontally positioned along the side of the wallf Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and the numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as herinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A holding device adapted to clamp a mat to a vertical surface comprising in combination:

support members attached to said vertical surface and extending therefrom; hollow bar members extending between said support members;

a rod member, the end portions of which are mounted to said support members, the other end portion extending within said hollow bar member, thus supporting said hollow bar member;

whereby when said mat is positioned between said hollow bar member and said vertical surface, the weight of said mat will cause said hollow bar memher to clamp against said vertical surface.

2. A mat holding device comprising in combination:

two bar support members, disposed towards each other at an acute angle;

two bar members positioned between said two bar support members and supported thereby;

whereby when a mat is positioned between said two bar members the weight of said mat will cause said bar member to bear against said mat to compress it and hold it in position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,781,976 1'1/1930 Brown 21l--89 1,997,490 4/1935 Hoar 211-89 2,492,607 12/ 1949 Whitney 211124 2,606,667 8/1952 Horniok 21 1 124 2,647,641 4/ 1953 Tritt 211--8-9 CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Primary Examiner. CLAUDE A. LEROY, Examiner. 

1. A HOLDING DEVICE ADAPTED TO CLAMP A MAT TO A VERTICAL SURFACE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: SUPPORT MEMBERS ATTACHED TO SAID VERTICAL SURFACE AND EXTENDING THEREFROM; HOLLOW BAR MEMBERS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS; A ROD MEMBER, THE END PORTIONS OF WHICH ARE MOUNTED TO SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS, THE OTHER END PORTION EXTENDING WITHIN SAID HOLLOW BAR MEMBER, THUS SUPPORTING SAID HOLLOW BAR MEMBER; WHEREBY WHEN SAID MAT IS POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID HOLLOW BAR MEMBER AND SAID VERTICAL SURFACE, THE WEIGHT OF SAID MAT WILL CAUSE SAID HOLLOW BAR MEMBER TO CLAMP AGAINST SAID VERTICAL SURFACE. 